Effect of Chitosan, Aloe vera Gel and Coconut Oil Edible Coatings on Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life of Strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa Duch ) Under Ambient Storage

Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa ) are highly perishable due to their delicate texture, high respiration rate, and susceptibility to microbial spoilage. This study evaluated the effects of edible coatings chitosan (CH), Aloe vera gel (AVG), and coconut oil (CO), applied individually and in combinations, on postharvest quality of strawberries stored under ambient conditions (26°C ± 2°C; 65%–70% RH). Among all treatments, CH + AVG was the most effective, reducing weight loss by 37.98%, preserving firmness by 91.58%, and lowering total plate count by 44.98% compared to the control. This combination also better maintained pH, titratable acidity, TSS, color, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. AVG alone effectively reduced weight loss and firmness loss, while CH better suppressed microbial growth. CO alone showed limited efficacy but improved when combined with CH or AVG. Overall, uncoated strawberries retained quality for 2 days, whereas CH + AVG extended shelf life to 4 days under ambient storage conditions.